Central Catholic High School’s Hugh Hamer will join the Nicholls State University football team as a preferred walk-on. He held a signing ceremony Wednesday at Central Catholic. Seated from left are C.E. Bourg, grandfather; Donna Bourg, grandmother; Shannon Hamer, mother; Hamer; Greg Hamer Jr., father; Brenda Hamer, grandmother; and Greg Hamer Sr. grandfather. Standing, are Maureen Alfred, family friend; Christina Bourg, aunt; Gregory Hamer III, brother; Tommy Minton, Central Catholic head football coach; Lucy Hamer, sister; Garrett Leblanc, cousin; and Valerie Leblanc, aunt.
The Daily Review/Geoff Stoute
CCHS' Hamer signs letter with Nicholls
Central Catholic’s Hugh Hamer will continue his football career at the next level after he signed with Nicholls as a preferred walk-on Wednesday in a ceremony at his high school.
“It feels great,” Hamer said of the opportunity. “I just can’t wait to compete at the next level.”
Central Catholic coach Tommy Minton said Hamer loves the game of football.
“You can tell by the way he practices every day,” he said. “When he comes out there, he comes to work, and when he steps on the field, he’s 100 mph.”
That intensity is one of the first things that caught Nicholls’ coaches’ eye, Minton said.
“They just loved his attitude and how much he loved the game,” Minton said.
Speed was among the qualities Hamer said he offered a college pro-gram.
“I think I’m aggressive,” he said. “I think I can lay a lick on somebody. I think I’m a just competitor.”
Hamer finished his six-game senior season with 36 carries for 217 yards and six touchdowns, 22 receptions for 247 yards and two scores and averaged 74.5 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown.
Minton said that Hamer’s explosiveness is comparable to players he’s sent to LSU, Ala-bama and Oklahoma.
“When he sticks his foot in the ground, he explodes out of his cuts,” he said.
Hamer said the coaches have told him he will be looked at as a defensive back and possibly in their return game.
Hamer finished his senior season as a Loui-siana Sports Writers Association Class 1A honorable mention All-State selection. The honor came after he earned first-team All-District 8-1A honors as a utility selection on offense and a return specialist on defense.
He said he considered a few out of state schools, “but I honestly just wanted to be close to home.”
Playing at Nicholls, he will have an idea of the expectations since his cousin, Garret LeBlanc, finished his career as a member of the football team last year.
“It helps a lot,” he said of that insight.
He also will be reunit-ed with former prep teammates who are there.
“It’s going to be fun to get to play with them again,” he said.